Criminal Justice and Corrections at Carrington College-Tucson

Carrington College-Tucson's Criminal Justice certificate graduates earn $30,388 their first year—about $10,000 below the Arizona median and nearly $18,000 below the national median. To put that in perspective, graduates from nearby Pima Community College earn $53,544 with the same credential, while Yavapai College graduates approach $60,000. This places Tucson's program in the bottom quarter of Arizona options, despite serving a predominantly lower-income student population (61% receive Pell grants).

The one bright spot is the relatively modest debt load of $8,481, which translates to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28. However, this shouldn't obscure the core issue: these graduates are earning about $10 per hour less than peers from Arizona community colleges with identical certificates. Over a career, that gap compounds significantly.

For families considering this program, the comparison to Pima Community College—just across town—is particularly telling. Even accounting for the lower debt here, Pima graduates earn enough extra in their first year alone to offset any debt difference multiple times over. Unless geographic access is a genuine barrier, Arizona families have stronger options for criminal justice credentials that deliver substantially better earning potential.